When people hear I am a Virtual Assistant, I’m often met with confused looks and a lot of ‘oh, that sounds cool… So, you can work from anywhere?’ comments. Most people rarely know what a VA ACTUALLY is; what we do, why we are a valuable addition to a thriving business, and how we can help people and businesses reach their goals and live out their definition of success.

Today I am breaking it down so you can share this article with your friends or family who are wondering what exactly it is you do to earn income, or so you can gain more knowledge into this unique business opportunity and perhaps launch your own VA company.

What exactly IS a VA?

In its most simple (and official) definition, a Virtual Assistant is an independent contractor who provides administrative services to clients while operating outside of the client’s office. A virtual assistant typically operates from a home office and is granted access to the necessary tools, including documents, shared calendars and programs, to do their job remotely.

So… it’s what?

I tell people I’m here to help your business succeed by using my expertise. I can take off your plate the tasks that take you away from living your passion and doing what it is you sought out to do in the first place. I do the admin, you do you.

For a photographer, hiring a VA allows them the freedom to spend more time behind a lens and less time behind their invoicing software, writing up blogs, or sending out newsletters. For a maker, this allows them more time to make and create instead of trying to plan a social grid on Instagram. For a coach, hiring a VA means they can spend more time with their clients instead of trying to figure out how to design a course in Canva because we can do that course for them lickety-split!

 

You’re a magic maker!

I often say I’m the magic maker for our clients. I’m not trying to toot my own horn, as they say, but it’s incredible the things people tell you when you get them organized and seeing an increase in business because you’ve sprinkled your magic all over their business. You and I both know it’s not magic– it’s using our best skills, talents, and knowledge and implementing it for our clients so they see results!

The services a Virtual Assistant can provide will often vary depending on the skill set of the VA. Each VA has unique strengths based on his/her education, background, and interests. Where one VA might have a design background, another might not! One VA, like myself, might have a photography background so she/he can do your website product photos while another doesn’t have that skill in their toolbelt. While the services vary, there are a few that are pretty common to make available to your clients these days.

• Office Admin Tasks
  • We are talking things like checking and responding to emails, managing calendars, and appointments, and being the first contact on behalf of your client.
• Marketing
  • This is quite the broad heading but marketing is anything from taking out campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, to creating newsletter campaigns in Mailchimp.
• Social Media
  • Some VA’s specialize in social media services along with content creation. This means they are organizing, scheduling, and maintaining your Instagram and Facebook feeds. Content creation can also include supplementing the images provided by the client.
• Graphic Design
  • Some VA’s specialize in graphic design services mean they can create all the design elements their client requires! Everything from printable pdf’s for workshops, to design elements for a website, a VA who is also a graphic designer is handy to have!
• Copywriting
  • If you are a VA who can also specialize in copywriting, that will be an asset. Writing for your client comes in many forms including writing contacts, blog posts, website content, application forms, and more! There’s always a need for something to be written up– even writing an updated biography for your client!
• Personal Assistant Services
  • As a VA, you will often be required to perform personal assistant services. You could be doing anything from paying bills for your client, to managing a personal schedule and even buying gifts or sending flowers on their behalf! You’re all about client care and this is client care to the max!

The possibilities are endless and, as a VA, there are so many ways you can support your clients by simply being there for them, listening to their needs, and doing your best to meet and exceed their expectations. The next time someone asks you what exactly it is you do, just tell them you’re a magic maker who helps your client’s wildest business dreams come true and I’m sure they’ll do more than ask you if you can work from home or from a coffee shop!

Download my 6 steps to launching your very own VA business here and while you’re at it, check out our 12 week course called Propel to Digital Freedom that will be open for enrollment just in time for the kids to go back to school, September 1, 2019.